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Nepal

New life begins for Nepal’s Maoist ex-rebels

Nepal’s Maoist fighters on Saturday began the process of leaving the camps they have called home since the end of their insurgency in 2006, to join the regular army or start new lives.
The historic transition follows a breakthrough peace deal signed on November 1 by the Maoists and the three other major [...]

Read More » No commentNovember 20, 2011

Nepal to begin asking ex-rebels: army or money?

KATMANDU, Nepal (AP) — Government monitors reached seven camps spread across Nepal by Friday to begin asking 19,000 former rebels whether they will join the army or leave with cash to start new lives, five years after ending their insurgency to join a peace process.
The process was long stalled over the [...]

Read More » No commentNovember 19, 2011

Nepal’s Maoists sack minister implicated in murder

Nepal’s ruling Maoist party announced on Sunday it was removing a minister accused of involvement in the murder of a Hindu activist.
Party leaders said parliamentary protests against land reforms minister Prabhu Sah were distracting from the peace process and had made his position untenable.
“Despite a legal clean chit, we have decided to [...]

Wife of notorious killer debuts in Indian reality TV

The 22-year-old wife of a convicted French murderer and alleged serial killer has appeared in India’s hugely popular reality televisionshow “Bigg Boss.”
Nihita Biswas, who claims to have married 67-year-old Charles Sobhraj in a secret ceremony while he serves a life sentence in Nepal, is one of 14 contestants in the Indian version of the global hit “Big Brother.”
She made her [...]

Nepal fashionistas woo the West

While the eyes of the style world were on London’s autumn fashion week, another couture event was taking place on the other side of the world — in the Himalayas.
At Nepal Fashion Week the models sashayed down the catwalk in a mix of Western and ethnic apparel, contrasting classic with kitsch in a cornucopia of [...]

Read More » No commentSeptember 26, 2011

Tourist flight crashes in Nepal, killing 19 aboard

KATMANDU, Nepal (AP) — A plane carrying tourists to view Mount Everest crashed while attempting to land in Nepal on Sunday, killing all 19 people on board, including 13 foreigners, officials said.
Ten Indians, two Americans and one Japanese were among the victims, Tourism Secretary Ganeshraj Joshi said.
The turboprop plane belonging to Buddha Air was also [...]

Read More » No commentSeptember 26, 2011

Nepal elects Maoist prime minister, 4th leader in 4 years

Kathmandu, Nepal (CNN) — Nepal’s parliament on Sunday elected a leader of the former Maoist rebels as the new prime minister with a simple majority.
Baburam Bhattarai, 57, vice-chairman of the Unified Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) will become the fourth prime minister since Nepal became a republic in 2008.
After his election Bhattarai said he would [...]

Nepal bans Tibetan rallies on Dalai Lama birthday

KATMANDU, Nepal (AP) — Nepalese authorities prevented exiled Tibetans from celebrating their spiritual leader the Dalai Lama’s birthday on Wednesday over concerns that gatherings would turn anti-Chinese.
Hundreds of riot police blocked the Tibetans from entering a school on the northern edge of Katmandu where the celebrations were planned.
Only students wearing [...]

Nepal sees significant rise in rhino population

KATMANDU, Nepal – Nepal’s rhinoceros population has risen significantly over the past three years owing to better security against poachers and community conservation programs, an official said Tuesday.
A survey this month showed that the country’s rhino population was 534 compared to 435 in 2008, when the last count was done, said [...]

Nepal’s new PM urges political consensus

KATHMANDU (AFP) – Nepal’s new prime minister on Friday urged political parties to put aside their differences for the sake of the country, in his first national address since he took office two weeks ago.
Jhalanath Khanal, whose election as prime minister ended a seven-month leadership vacuum, said there was “no alternative” to consensus if the [...]

Read More » No commentFebruary 20, 2011